A Large Underground Transmission Project is Handled with Technical Skills and Public Relations Know-How

To be asked to complete one of the largest underground transmission projects in the United States, a company must have a track record of finishing on schedule and within budget. When the location is in a sensitive environment like San Mateo County, that’s a situation that calls for a lot more. That’s why Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E) turned to Black & Veatch for careful work on the San Francisco Peninsula.

Everyone involved with PG&E’s Jefferson-Martin 230 kV Transmission Line project shared the goal of minimizing the impact to communities along the route. Black & Veatch engineered, procured and constructed 24 miles of underground and 3.5 miles of overhead transmission line.

The new line winds through a county of diverse communities with custom and tract homes as well as significant archeological and cultural resources. The area also has various federally protected plant and animal species.

The transmission line is installed in a concrete-encased duct bank buried beneath streets in front of schools, homes, business districts, major mass transit hubs and parks. Construction of the new overhead line penetrates the San Francisco watershed and is within feet of some of the Bay Area's drinking water reservoirs.

The project set standards of ensuring no impact to special status species or cultural resources and no protests by community groups. Much of the project terrain is home to several federal and state endangered species. The project used biologists and other specialists to help prevent sensitive wildlife from entering the construction zone. Two cultural resource specialists worked on the project as well.

The project team held meetings with first-responder government officials and citizens. All along the route, the project team worked with local communities to minimize construction impact. Despite working through streets, which are the commercial lifeblood of their respective cities, no protests or any other type of activity stopped construction.

The project team blended technical knowledge and engagement in this model project. By doing so, they met the area’s growing demand for electrical power while respecting the environment.